Not so different after all
by Lamker
Summary: They were constantly annoying each other, even before Allen came along. To the normal person, they couldn't be more different. Yet if one is to look closely, they might not be so different


_**Fourth day of Dgraymanweek  
Day 4: By your side  
Option A: Favorite Relationship (BROTP - Kanda and Lavi) **_

_**Not so different after all**_

"Remember you two – these people put their traditions over all else. Don't cause a major incident trying to fix the problem," Bookman instructed over the Golem Communication Line currently being held by Lavi.

"We get it, we get it," the redhead sighed, leaning on a wall as he held the device. "Don't blow a casket, you old panda."

"Why you little-!" before the old man could finish, the Bookman Junior turned off the Golem and sighed again, closing his eyes.

"I take it there's no good news?" Kanda spoke up from the armchair he was sitting in, inside the hotel.

"Not really… The Innocence is here, with the Kaniko Tribe, but they won't part with it easily."

"Figured as much."

There was a stretch of silence, before a woman walked up to them.

"Can I get either of you gentlemen anything?" she asked with a kind smile.

"No, thank you," Lavi answered lazily, even yawning, but gave a smile back anyway.

"…You're a really good actor, I'll give you that," the samurai said quietly, but was sure the redhead had heard him.

"What do you mean by that?" Lavi blinked back at him in surprise. "I'm just being me," he added, flashing another grin.

"You may have everyone else fooled, but I know what you really are," Kanda narrowed his eyes on the Bookman, who in turn only smirked.

"Do you now? I honestly doubt that."

* * *

It was their last stay in the hotel, so both of them headed off to bed early. After all, they would be trudging through all sorts of things in the morning to get the Innocence they wanted. Sadly, they'll have to get past the Kaniko Tribe – who happened to find it a while back and turned into a secret deity. Perfect…

Neither of them really slept peacefully, having their own demons to conquer, but Kanda was actually woken up from his. With Mugen already in hand, he was ready to slice down his opponent, only to find the room empty. And when his other senses came back to him, he could see Lavi tossing and muttering on his own bed. He would have passed it off as some stupid dream, had the redhead not suddenly shot up as well, clenching the bed sheet and panting heavily.

"Oi," he called lightly and it was enough to get the younger man to snap out of whatever trance he was in.

"A-Ah, Yuu," Lavi said back, voice shaky, as he forced a smile on his face. "Did I wake ya?" he tried to play if off – that much was clear.

"No," Kanda answered with a frown and lay back down, turning his back to the redhead. "Now get to bed. I'm not dragging you around if you fall down."

"…Right, of course…" he could have sworn there was a humorless chuckle followed by that and tried to ignore anything that followed as best he could. Lavi was not someone you could get information out of easily – if he didn't want to talk about something, he wouldn't.

* * *

By morning, both were ready to head off, after eating something. Bookman had called to inform them were exactly the Kaniko Tribe was, and the duo was on their way.

"So how are you gonna handle it?" Lavi started up a conversation as they walked. The Tribe was supposedly in a large forest, near a river, working on a ritual of sorts.

"I am going to take the Innocence and go home," Kanda shot back, not even turning to face the man.

"You really shouldn't," at that, the older man turned around and saw a grin on the redheads face as he walked up. "Those guys are fiercely protective of it now. Just taking it won't end well," he added, now passing the Japanese man. "Besides," Lavi stopped himself now, giving a grin which didn't seem to reach his eye. "Tradition can be hell to break."

"I thought tradition was the corpse of wisdom?" Kanda wasn't sure what it was, but he didn't like the way Lavi talked, or seemed to express himself there.

"Hehe, that's one way of looking at it," the redhead chuckled, but the grin remained. If anything, his one good eye seemed to grow more empty.

"…And what do you suggest then?" Lavi turned his back to the man and continued walking, but answered none the less.

"I don't really know. Haven't thought about it," Bookman Jr. shrugged and before he could actually take more steps, felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Why were you chosen for this mission?" Kanda's hand was firm and his voice cold, but Lavi turned towards him with another smile.

"'Cause someone needed to come along. The Chief didn't want to send you alone."

"…" the samurai didn't buy it, but he knew he wouldn't get a proper answer. Not from this person. Not here and not now.

"We should get moving. Who knows when the Tribe will move again," with that, the redhead walked on as Kanda's grip fell off.

"Tch, why the hell do I care…" he mumbled, not sure why he even bothered. But somehow, he couldn't just… let this go. He hardly knew anything about Lavi, while the boy himself seemed to know everything.

"… _Is it because he reminds me of him…_ " he thought, looking at the raising sun and recalling a familiar, smiling face of a kid he called brother.

* * *

The rest of the walk was silent, with Lavi leading the way, and Kanda keeping his distance. It didn't bother the redhead – never really has.

" _He sure is persistent,_ " he thought, wondering how much the Japanese man actually knew. Couldn't be much, that's for sure.

" _But he's like the rest,_ " his smile dropped and he turned his attention to the sky. " _Eventually, he'll die and become history… Like everyone else…_ " the Bookman Jr. never really got along with Kanda. Although he knew about the man's past – some of it anyway – he never imagined a person ending up like that could live this long. Detached and never really showing how he really feels or even caring about anyone. Living like that, it was probably for the best. Much like he himself had to be as a Bookman…

* * *

"This must be the place then?" Kanda asked, seeing about twenty people around a campfire, dancing, chanting and bowing to a green-glowing item in the middle.

"Seems so, yeah," Lavi said, sitting on his heels, enough away to not reveal himself. "And it looks like they're armed," he added, spotting the wooden and rock weapons lying all over the place.

"None of them can match up to Mugen," the samurai challenged, pulling the blade out with his thumb just a few centimeters.

"That's true, but do you really want to spill blood during a ritual?" the redhead asked, a knowing look in his eye.

"So what? This isn't even a real ritual – it's Innocence. The fools don't even know what they have."

"Ah, but it is Innocence! And it's known for making strange things happen!" Lavi pointed out with a smirk. "But then, don't take my word for it. Try it yourself."

"Damn you," Kanda grumbled and returned Mugen back to its sheath. "You're never this considered when anyone else is around," the Jr. didn't answer, but again his grin didn't get to his eyes.

"Then how are we-?" before the older man could ask, an explosion was heard, followed by sheiks and yells of the Tribe people.

"Akuma!" the two Exorcists called, brandishing their weapons. There were about fifteen of them, about half Level 2 already.

* * *

Kanda let out a yell and rushed forwards, swinging his blade at the nearest enemy and slicing them in half. Lavi was about to jump in as well, when he spotted the Kaniko trying to fend off one of the monsters. With slight hesitation, he changed his direction to there, swinging his Iron Hammer at the Akuma and sending it flying.

"So much for avoiding an incident… The old panda won't let me hear the end of this," he muttered, landing neatly next to the three Humans, who looked at him with wide eyes. Two were young males, while the third was a female – possibly their wife or something. He frowned, and didn't move, not knowing how they'd react.

"Die!" an Akuma jumped out from the forest, firing its weapons and the redhead had just enough time to enlarge his weapon to block the attacks.

"Run!" he called to the trio, hoping they'd understand. The rest were already getting away, and while some made a grab for the Innocence, the Akuma kept them away.

"Yuu! They're gonna get the Innocence!" he yelled, pressing down the hammer and holding the Level 2 still.

* * *

Kanda spun around, slicing apart three Level 1s when he heard the Bookman's call. He quickly spotted what he had to, and rushed that way. But just before he could take down the stealing monster, five more jumped in his way.

"You're not getting past!" a dragon like one let out a breath of fire.

"Die where you stand!" the hedgehog looking one rolled towards him with spikes poking out of his back.

Before the samurai could react or try to block, someone jumped in front of it, followed by a large hammer coming from the side.

"Sorry 'bout this, but we need to get that Innocence!" Lavi called as he brought his weapon from the side, right towards the samurai. Kanda himself had just enough time to react to the sudden attack to raise Mugen and lessen the impact, but it still sent him flying towards the Akuma which stole the Innocence.

"Damn you!" he cursed, wincing in pain, but focused on the task at hand. There was no way the Bookman could handle all that's left by himself. " _He's going to die,_ " the sudden thought brought back a few memories when Alma had saved him, letting him get away, by giving up his own life.

* * *

"Hahah! It's just one now!" the dragon monster laughed as Lavi blocked attack after attack with his hammer.

" _Tch, what was I thinking?_ " the Bookman Jr. thought as he tried to hold his weapon steady under all the attacks. " _I shouldn't have gotten involved so much… The point was to study these Tribe people – see if they know any more about Innocence,_ " the old panda's words came back to him, and he couldn't help but chuckle.

" _And now I'm gonna die… Way to go me…_ "

"Pour it on! He can't take much more!" an Akuma resembling a wolf kept clawing against the weapon, hoping to break it or send it flying.

" **Fire Stamp: Configuration of Ash!** " the redhead yelled, slamming the weapon on the ground and creating torrent of flames in the form of a snake, sending it after the Akuma.

The monsters screamed as the fire burned them, but not all. About six of the ten left avoided it, and quickly converged back on the Exorcist.

"You're wide open!" the hedgehog one screamed as it rolled towards the now exposed Human, with the others following quickly behind.

"Damn it!" Lavi cursed and tried to swing the Iron Hammer and save himself, but was too slow. He won't make it. For a moment, the world seemed to slow down as he felt his body numb. Seems like he'll be becoming history before anyone else.

* * *

" **First Illusion: Netherworld Creatures!** " someone called and suddenly, a swarm of creatures appeared, ripping into the Akuma and tearing them apart.

"Yuu?" the Bookman blinked, not believing his eye as the Japanese man stood behind him, eyes narrow and Mugen glowing.

"I don't like getting saved. And I hate owing someone even more," Kanda answered the unasked question, watching as his monsters devoured the Akuma. "We're even now," he looked down at the redhead, who seemed too shocked to even speak.

"The Innocence? Did you get it?" was what the younger man asked, getting to his feet.

"No," was the simple and bland answer.

"Then why did you come back?" it seemed Lavi was really confused.

"…Who else will tell our story, our struggle, our mistakes, if not you?" was the answer and the two looked at each other with almost no emotion, yet their eyes betrayed all of it.

"…Guess we're not all that different…" the redhead closed his eye, before giving the first real smile Kanda had seen in a long time.

"Guess not," he himself couldn't help but give a small one in return, nodding his head. "So how about we finish up here and head home."

"Home…" they turned to the remaining enemies, standing side-by-side. "It sure is starting to feel like that, yeah."


End file.
